Scottish Executive

Agriculture

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any part of the south of Scotland has been designated a mountainous region by the European Union and, if so, what implications this has financially and environmentally for farmers in the area.

Ross Finnie: The European Union has not designated any part of the south of Scotland as a mountainous region. On 14 July 2004, the Commission of the European Communities published a proposal for the European Union’s rural development policy which will cover the period 2007-13. Included in the proposal is a commitment to review the definition of Less Favoured Areas. Stakeholder views will be sought before decisions are taken and the draft regulation will be subject to detailed negotiation before it is finally agreed.

Autism

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence it has on whether there is a link between the quality and content of an education and development plan for an autistic child and the child’s anxiety and stress levels.

Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-9797 on 16 August 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Birds

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment is made of financial losses to a stock owner in assessing whether to award a licence to protect stock from bird predators available through derogations in the European Union’s Birds Directive.

Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive considers a licence application on the basis of the information supplied by the licence applicant, which may or may not include a financial assessment of losses.

Cancer

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12417 by Susan Deacon on 30 March 2001, what the current waiting times are for all forms of cancer, broken down by NHS board.

Malcolm Chisholm: Treatment for cancer can take place in either an out-patient or in-patient setting. Information is not held centrally on waiting times for treatment which starts in an out-patient setting.

  Information on the time between a patient being placed on the in-patient and day case waiting list and their admission to hospital for cancer treatment is available centrally. The median waiting time for in-patient and day case cancer treatment, by NHS board area of residence, for the year ending 31 March 2004, is given in the table.

  NHSSCOTLAND: Median Waiting Times for Hospital In-Patient and Day Case Admission for Treatment on Cancer1 by NHS Board of Residence for the Year Ending 31 March 2004P

  

NHS Board
Median Wait
(Days)


Argyll and Clyde
9


Ayrshire and Arran
11


Borders
11


Dumfries and Galloway
12


Fife
13


Forth Valley
13


Grampian
6


Greater Glasgow
10


Highland
11


Lanarkshire
9


Lothian
15


Orkney 
7


Shetland
6


Tayside
15


Western Isles
12


Scotland
10



  Source: ISD Scotland, SMR01.

  pProvisional.

  Note: 1. Cancer is defined as ICD10 C00 – C97 as main diagnosis.

Communication Impairment

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-8489 by Malcolm Chisholm on 8 June 2004, how speech and language therapists are involved in the design and provision of training and support for staff so that they can effectively communicate with individuals with communication impairment.

Malcolm Chisholm: Speech and language therapists have an important contribution to make both in supporting patients with communication difficulties and also NHS staff in communicating effectively with them. It is for NHS boards to determine how best to utilise the expertise of speech and language therapists in order to meet the needs of those with communication impairment.

Communication Impairment

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-8489 by Malcolm Chisholm on 8 June 2004, what action is being taken within the national programme for improving mental health and well being to support people with communication impairment beyond those with sensory impairment, for example those with receptive and/or expressive aphasia, dyspraxia, dysarthria, semantic-pragmatic disorder and dysfluency.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Mental Health Division, which includes the work of the National Programme for Improving Mental Health and Well-Being, has identified sensory and communication loss as an area which requires attention within mental health promotion, prevention and mental health services. To help identify current needs and map current support services, resources and future requirements, a Sensory Loss Development Group, bringing together stakeholders from various relevant bodies, has been established and has now met on two occasions. The group is planning to commission work on an up to date identification and analysis of needs and on mapping of services and supports and likely future requirements.

  The work on needs analysis and mapping will take into account a broad spectrum of needs. The group will be asked to consider the inclusion of receptive and/or expressive aphasia, dyspraxia, dysarthria, semantic-pragmatic disorder and dysfluency. Work is expected to commence on the needs assessment and mapping exercise later this year, and is expected to continue to March 2006.

Communication Impairment

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-8489 by Malcolm Chisholm on 8 June 2004, what information is held regarding the communication impairments other than sensory impairments experienced by those with a learning disability and what is being done to meet the health needs of these communication-impaired communities.

Mr Tom McCabe: The same as you? recommended that Scottish Consortium for Learning Disability should set up a national network of support to local providers offering advice and training on the extra needs of people with profound and multiple disabilities. PAMIS, (Promoting A More Inclusive Society), a voluntary organisation that works in partnership with people with profound learning disabilities and their family carers, is developing this network, providing advice on issues such as non-verbal communication.

  NHS Quality Improvement Scotland’s Learning Disability Quality Indicators include a focus on meeting general healthcare needs. Through these, NHS boards are asked to demonstrate how they identify and meet the communication needs of people with learning disabilities in assessment and care planning processes, and in providing primary care and community services.

Drug Misuse

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to introduce drug testing kits for drivers.

Nicol Stephen: Legislation relating to drugs and driving is the responsibility of the UK Government. Section 107 of and Schedule 7 to the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 provide powers for the police to require specimens for roadside screening for the presence of drugs. I understand that a type approval specification for roadside screening devices is currently in preparation.

Drug Misuse

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to specify levels of concentration of drugs, both legal and illegal, that would impair driving ability.

Nicol Stephen: Legislation on drugs and driving is the responsibility of the UK Government. I understand that the UK Government has no plans to specify such levels.

Drug Misuse

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive in how many road traffic accidents in each of the last five years one of the drivers was under the influence of illegal drugs, broken down by police force area.

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many road traffic fatalities were caused by the use of illegal drugs in each of the last five years, broken down by police force area.

Nicol Stephen: Data about injury road accidents are collected by the police and reported to the Scottish Executive using the Stats 19 statistical report form. These returns cover only road accidents in which one or more people were injured; they do not cover damage only accidents.

  The Stats 19 returns do not record the causes of the accidents. Under a pilot scheme, 14 police forces across Great Britain have been voluntarily submitting information on contributory factors to accidents along with their Stats 19 returns. However, it is not possible to use the pilot contributory factor data to provide figures which are representative of accidents in Scotland because only two police forces in Scotland took part in the scheme. I understand that the UK Government is analysing the pilot data and will publish an article later this year.

  Starting in January 2005, the pilot scheme will be replaced by a new set of questions on contributory factors, which will form an integral part of the Stats 19 injury road accident reporting system. Information about contributory factors should thereafter be supplied by all police forces for personal injury accidents which are reported either (a) following attendance at the scene by a police officer or (b) by a member of the public to police staff at a police station. There will be a code to identify drivers who were "impaired by drugs (illicit or medicinal)".

  UK Government research, published in 2000, into the incidence of drugs in fatal road accident victims, including drivers, riders, passengers and pedestrians, found traces of illegal drugs in 18% of the sample group and traces of medicinal drugs in a further 6%. The research also found traces of alcohol in 32% of the samples (22% of the samples being over the drink drive limit). The research report TRL495 is available on the TRL website at http://www.trl.co.uk/1024/mainpage.asp?page=141.

Economy

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of Scottish Low Pay Unit data, what new steps it will take to boost the economy and address the "employed poverty trap".

Mr Jim Wallace: The Executive’s top priority is growing the economy and our policies are directed to that end. Our focus is on competitiveness through high value, high skills activity. On 12 July 2004, Margaret Curran announced six high-level objectives which are driving anti-poverty initiatives. These include increasing chances of sustained employment for vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in order to lift them permanently out of poverty.

Education

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many vacancies existed for Gaelic-medium primary teachers in primary schools on 1 (a) August 2000, (b) August 2001, (c) August 2002 and (d) August 2003 and how many it anticipates there will be on 1 August 2004.

  The member has provided the following Gaelic translation:

  A dh’ fhaighneachd de Riaghaltas na h-Alba cò mheud àite bàn a bha ann do luchd-teagaisg airson foghlaim tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig aig ìre na bunsgoile air 1 (a) Lùnastal 2000, (b) Lùnastal 2001, (c) Lùnastal 2002 agus (d) Lùnastal 2003 agus cò mheud àite bàn ris a bheil e an dùil air 1 Lùnastal 2004.

Peter Peacock: Information in the form requested is not held centrally.

  The Scottish Executive has provided the following Gaelic translation:

  Chan eil am fiosrachadh seo glèidhte anns a’ mheadhon.

Education

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of its commitment to stimulating creativity in young people, what provision it makes available to schools and colleges to develop seeing and drawing skills and to ensure that adequate craft skills are in place to allow a high standard of artistic impression to be delivered and whether it will consider setting up a working party to develop such provision.

Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive supported the production of a publication Creativity in Education,  published by Learning and Teaching Scotland which was further enhanced through a practical toolkit for teachers, Creativity Counts . These publications support the relevance of developing creativity in the wider curriculum, extending it beyond the expressive arts and provide practical illustrations of how schools are developing creativity across the curriculum.

  National Qualifications are available at most levels in craft and design and at all levels in art and design, and Higher National qualifications are available in a variety of art and craft courses. These courses provide the framework for schools and further education colleges to cultivate a wide range of artistic and craft skills in their students. The actual structure and level of provision is a matter for local authorities and individual further education colleges to decide.

  The first stage of a review of the curriculum from age three to 18 got underway in November 2003 and the steering group is due to publish a paper by autumn 2004, outlining the draft principles and framework for a reviewed curriculum. It would not therefore be appropriate for the Executive to consider setting up a working party to further develop provision of artistic and craft skills for students at this stage.

Employment Tribunals

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases against each department and the agencies for which it is responsible have been brought to employment tribunals in relation to (a) equal pay, (b) sex discrimination, (c) race discrimination, (d) disability discrimination and (e) unfair dismissal; how many cost awards were made against (i) respondents and (ii) applicants, and how much has been spent (A) settling and (B) contesting claims in each year since 1999.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive does not hold information related to the number of employment tribunal cases, or the level of any awards, on a central database and it could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. However, the Central Office of the Employment Tribunals in Scotland, The Eagle Building, 215 Bothwell Street, Glasgow, holds a public record of all Employment Tribunal cases brought in Scotland. Nor is it not possible to advise how much has been spent contesting claims to employment tribunals, as these costs are not accounted for separately.

Enterprise

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what new steps it will take to help create new major companies in Scotland, in light of the Royal Bank of Scotland’s report, Wealth Creation in Scotland - A Study of Scotland's Top 100 Companies

Mr Jim Wallace: Growing businesses is a key theme in A Smart, Successful Scotland (SSS). Information such as that in the Royal Bank of Scotland report helps inform our understanding of how the challenges facing the Scottish economy have evolved since SSS was first published and will, along with information from other sources, inform the priorities in the refreshed SSS. The Enterprise Networks will continue to play a major role in assisting businesses with growth potential and detail of their activity is set out in corporate plans.

Enterprise

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what new steps it will take to create a bigger pipeline of medium-sized companies, in light of the Federation of Small Businesses’ report, Lifting the Barriers to Growth in UK Small Business: Scotland .

Mr Jim Wallace: Growing businesses is a key theme in A Smart, Successful Scotland (SSS). Information such as that in the Federation of Small Businesses’ report helps inform our understanding of how the challenges facing the Scottish economy have evolved since SSS was first published and will, along with information from other sources, inform the priorities in the refreshed SSS. The Enterprise Networks will continue to play a major role in assisting businesses with growth potential and detail of their activity is set out in corporate plans.

Ferry Services

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed tendering of the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry routes will include provision for an operator of last resort and, if not, what other safeguards will be put in place to protect, and ensure the continuation of, lifeline ferry services and minimise the risk to the public purse.

  *The member has provided the following Gaelic translation:

  A dh’fhaighneachd de Riaghaltas na h-Alba am bi an tairgseachadh, air a mholadh airson slighean aiseag Chaledonian Mhic a’ Bhruthainn, a’ gabhail a-staigh ullachadh airson luchd-solair mar "innleachd mu dheireadh"; agus mur a bi, dè a thèid a dhèanamh gus seirbheisean aiseig a tha deatamach a dhìon agus a ghlèidheadh, agus gus lùghdachadh a dhèanamh air cunnartan dhan sporan phoblach.*

Nicol Stephen: The proposals for tendering, published for consultation in June 2002, explained that we intended to restructure Caledonian MacBrayne into a publicly owned vessel owning and leasing company (VesCo) and an operating company (OpsCo). As well as VesCo’s functions in relation to harbours and vessels it is also intended that it will have responsibility for providing an operator of last resort function.

  VesCo will be instructed to ensure that arrangements for the operator of last resort are in place by the start of the first contract period. It will therefore be an early priority for VesCo to consider how it will provide this function and to make recommendations to ministers.

  *The Scottish Executive has provided the following Gaelic translation:

  Mhìnich na molaidhean a thaobh tagraidhean, a bha foillsichte airson co-chomhairle san Ògmhios 2002, gu robh sinn an dùil Caledonian Mac a’ Bhruthainn ath-structaradh gu companaidh aig am bi soithichean dhaibh fèin agus airson màil (VesCo) agus companaidh obrachaidh (OpsCo). A thuilleadh air gnìomhan VesCo an co-cheangal ri puirt agus soithichean thathar an dùil cuideachd gur ann air a bhios uallach airson dreuchd Obraiche Àm Èiginn.

  Thèid iarraidh air VesCo dèanamh cinnteach gum bi ullachadh airson an Obraiche Àm Èiginn stèidhichte mus tòisich a’ chiad ùine cùmhnant. Mar sin bidh e na phrìomh-amas aig VesCo beachdachadh mun dòigh air an dreuchd seo ullachadh agus molaidhean a thoirt do Mhinistearan.

Fire Service

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to, or received from, Her Majesty's Government regarding the recent negotiations with the Fire Brigades Union in relation to the pay agreement with local authorities.

Hugh Henry: Scottish ministers have made no representations to UK ministers about the negotiations and have received none.

Fire Service

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what contingency plans are now in place to deal with any industrial action by fire service personnel and what the estimated cost of implementing such plans would be.

Hugh Henry: Contingency plans covering a range of possible scenarios, including industrial action in the fire service, are continually kept under review. However, following the agreement between the local authority employers and the Fire Brigades Union on 26 August 2004, the threat of industrial action has been lifted. It is not possible to provide a forward estimate of the cost of implementing these plans since this would depend on the nature and duration of any industrial action.

Fire Service

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what efforts are being made to end the prospect of industrial action by fire service personnel.

Hugh Henry: Industrial relations within the fire service are primarily a matter for the local authority employers and the relevant trade unions and staff associations, under the auspices of the National Joint Council for Local Authorities Fire Brigades (NJC). On 26 August 2004, the NJC announced that it had reached formal agreement on the immediate full implementation of stages 2 and 3 of the pay award set out in the Fire Service Pay and Conditions Agreement of June 2003 between the employers and the Fire Brigades Union (FBU). The threat of industrial action, on which the FBU had been balloting its members, has therefore been lifted.

  The Scottish Executive welcomes the settlement of the dispute. This will enable both the employers and the Fire Brigades Union to deliver the commitment to the reform and modernisation of the fire service which underpins the pay deal.

Fire Service

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any amendments were made to the agreement with employers in Scotland relating to the dispute with fire service personnel.

Hugh Henry: The fire service pay agreement is a matter for the local authority employers and the Fire Brigades Union (FBU). The agreement covers all UK fire authorities and no separate agreement has been negotiated between the FBU and the Scottish local authority employers.

Fisheries

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what data it has on the number of sea trout in rivers; where such data can be accessed; whether trout stocks are falling, and, if so, in which rivers and what action is being taken to reverse this trend.

Allan Wilson: Catch statistics for salmon and sea trout are collected by the Scottish Executive’s Fisheries Research Services Freshwater Laboratory (FRSFL) in Montrose. Statistical bulletins are published annually in September. Copies of the bulletins are placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

  Sea trout numbers have been in decline in recent years, particularly on the west coast. The management of sea trout stocks is the responsibility of the District Salmon Fishery Boards. The boards, often in conjunction with Fisheries Trusts and FRSFL, are continuing to address the problems facing Scotland’s wild salmonid stocks.

General Practitioners

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what specific additional funding has been allocated to each NHS board to introduce the new GP contract.

Malcolm Chisholm: The new General Medical Services (GMS) contract came into force on 1 April 2004 and is one strand of the pay modernisation agenda which also covers the consultant contract and agenda for change. We have allocated £3.5 million to NHS boards in Scotland for the period 2003-05 to support the establishment of pay modernisation teams in each local NHS system which will oversee the introduction and on-going implementation of the three strands of pay modernisation. Allocations by NHS board are shown in the following table.

  The precise cost to boards of implementing the new contract will not be known until later in the year once final details of out-of-hours re-provision and practices achievement levels under the terms of the new quality and outcomes framework are known. Such costs will, however, be covered by the record uplift in allocations to health boards from the Scottish Executive of £370 million (7.8%) in 2003-04 and £365 million (7.25%) in 2004-05. Details of the specific 2004-05 allocations to health boards for the new GMS contract element of pay modernisation are also shown in the following table.

  These record uplifts in allocation have been supplemented by further allocations to NHSScotland of £30 million in 2003-04 and £70 million in 2004-05 as a contribution to the costs of pay and service modernisation.

  

NHS Board
Pay Modernisation Allocations 2003-05
(£000)
Indicative Allocation For new GMS contract
2004-05
(£000)


Argyll and Clyde
300
43,938


Ayrshire and Arran
200
36,700


Borders
100
11,382


Dumfries and Galloway
100
16,312


Fife
200
33,153


Forth Valley
200
27,619


Grampian
300
54,346


Greater Glasgow
500
92,720


Highland
200
32,132


Lanarkshire
300
50,818


Lothian
400
78,646


Orkney
Included in Grampian allocation
3,694


Shetland
Included in Grampian allocation
2,995


Tayside
300
44,761


Western Isles
Included in Argyll and Clyde allocation
5,224


Special Health Boards
 


Common Services Agency
250
 


Scottish Ambulance Service
150
 


Totals
3,500
534,440

Health

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many locum consultant (a) doctors and (b) surgeons are working in the NHS, broken down by NHS board area and expressed also as a working-time equivalent (WTE) percentage of the total headcount.

Malcolm Chisholm: Table 1 provides details of locum consultants employed in NHS Scotland at 30th September 2003 broken down by NHS board area and shows WTE as a percentage of headcount for each NHS board area.

  Table 1: NHS Locum Consultants by NHS Board (Headcount, Whole-Time Equivalent and WTE % of Headcount at 30th September 2003)

  

 
Headcount
Whole-Time Equivalent
WTE % of Headcount


Total 1
Surgical Specialties2
All Other Specialties
Total1
Surgical Specialties2
All Other Specialties
Total1
Surgical Specialties2
All Other Specialties


Scotland 
 127.0
 24.0 
 103.0 
 90.2 
 19.2 
 71.0 
71.0%
79.9%
69.0%


NHS Argyll and Clyde 
 11.0 
 - 
 11.0 
 4.1 
 - 
 4.1 
37.7%
x
37.7%


NHS Ayrshire and Arran 
 6.0 
 - 
 6.0 
 4.4 
 - 
 4.4 
72.7%
x
72.7%


NHS Borders 
 2.0 
 - 
 2.0 
 2.0 
 - 
 2.0 
100.0%
x
100.0%


NHS Dumfries and Galloway 
 2.0 
 1.0 
 1.0 
 2.0 
 1.0 
 1.0 
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%


NHS Fife 
 3.0 
 - 
 3.0 
 3.0 
 - 
 3.0 
100.0%
x
100.0%


NHS Forth Valley 
 2.0 
 - 
 2.0 
 2.0 
 - 
 2.0 
100.0%
x
100.0%


NHS Grampian 
 21.0 
 4.0 
 17.0 
 14.5 
 2.1 
 12.5 
69.3%
52.3%
73.3%


NHS Greater Glasgow 
 29.0 
 2.0 
 27.0 
 22.7 
 2.0 
 20.7 
78.4%
100.0%
76.8%


NHS Highland 
 4.0 
 - 
 4.0 
 3.3 
 - 
 3.3 
81.8%
x
81.8%


NHS Lanarkshire 
 25.0 
 11.0 
 14.0 
 15.1 
 8.6 
 6.5 
60.4%
78.5%
46.1%


NHS Lothian 
 16.0 
 5.0 
 11.0 
 11.6 
 4.5 
 7.1 
72.4%
89.1%
64.9%


NHS Orkney 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
x
x
x


NHS Shetland 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
x
x
x


State Hospital
 1.0 
 - 
 1.0 
 1.0 
 - 
 1.0 
100.0%
x
100.0%


NHS Tayside
 2.0 
 - 
 2.0 
 1.5 
 - 
 1.5 
72.8%
x
72.8%


NHS Western Isles 
 3.0 
 1.0 
 2.0 
 3.0 
 1.0 
 2.0 
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%



  Source: ISD Scotland.

  Notes:

  1. Includes hospital and community medical specialties, hospital and community dental specialties and public health medicine.

  2. Medical surgical specialties.

Higher Education

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any post-graduate courses offered by higher education institutes do not attract state funding for fees or student support and, if so, which courses, broken down by institute.

Mr Jim Wallace: Information on individual courses provided by higher education institutions (HEIs) is not held centrally. It is a matter for each institution to decide on which courses to offer.

  HEIs in Scotland receive support for taught post-graduate provision through the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC). SHEFC’s funding contributes towards the costs of providing teaching and learning for students in Scottish HEIs; it does not provide support for students. Currently SHEFC funds approximately 7,500 places for taught post-graduate study at Scottish HEIs. This amounts to approximately £28 million per annum. Support for post-graduate study is also available to students in Scotland through the Postgraduate Students’ Allowances Scheme (PSAS). Courses supported under PSAS are generally nine-month taught post-graduate diploma courses, on largely vocational subjects. Approximately 2,700 students are supported under PSAS each year, at a cost of approximately £17 million per annum.

  In the UK as a whole, support for courses at masters and doctorate level is also provided by the Arts and Humanities Research Board (AHRB) and six UK Research Councils.

  However, it has never been the policy of this or any previous Government that every student accepted for a post-graduate course of study or research at HEIs should automatically receive support from public funds. Current funding arrangements are geared towards maintaining the excellence of UK research and contributing to the supply of highly trained manpower. Many students at this level obtain loans from banks, seek sponsorship, receive help from educational trusts or pursue their studies on a part-time basis.

Hospitals

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-9383 by Malcolm Chisholm on 21 July 2004, how many hospital beds there were in each NHS board area per 1,000 head of population in each year since 1997.

Malcolm Chisholm: NHSScotland - Average Available Staffed Beds, Rate Per 1,000 Population1,2; by Health Board Area: Years Ending 31 March

  

 
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004P


Scotland
7.8
7.5
7.2
6.8
6.5
6.3
6.1
5.9


Argyll and Clyde
8.1
8.3
7.9
7.6
7.5
7.3
6.9
6.5


Ayrshire and Arran
6.1
6.0
5.8
5.8
5.8
5.8
5.8
5.6


Borders
7.4
7.1
6.9
6.5
6.2
6.0
5.8
6.1


Dumfries and Galloway3
7.4
7.2
7.4
6.6
5.7
5.5
5.2
5.6


Fife
6.4
6.1
5.9
5.7
5.5
5.2
5.1
4.9


Forth Valley
8.2
7.6
7.3
6.7
6.2
5.8
5.3
4.9


Grampian3
7.8
7.3
7.1
6.8
6.6
6.3
6.2
6.0


Greater Glasgow
9.3
9.2
8.6
8.2
7.8
7.5
7.2
7.1


Highland
7.2
7.2
6.9
6.8
6.5
6.5
6.2
6.1


Lanarkshire
7.0
6.7
6.6
6.5
6.2
5.8
5.5
5.4


Lothian
7.5
6.7
6.3
5.9
5.6
5.7
5.7
5.4


Orkney
7.8
7.4
6.7
5.3
4.9
4.9
4.9
4.9


Shetland
5.6
5.1
4.4
4.5
4.5
4.6
4.6
4.6


Tayside
9.0
8.5
8.2
7.9
7.3
6.7
6.6
6.4


Western Isles
8.1
9.8
9.5
9.1
9.3
8.5
8.5
8.7



  PProvisional.

  Source: ISD Scotland [Form ISD(S)1]; Registrar General for Scotland.

  Notes:

  1. Includes joint-user and contractual hospitals.

  2. Crude rates per 1,000 ; mid year population at 30 June.

  3. Some information for later years is estimated.

Housing

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review conveyancing law to address the number of parties withdrawing from property deals prior to the conclusion of missives and the level of "gazumping" in Edinburgh.

Hugh Henry: There are no plans to review conveyancing law in Scotland. The Executive has no evidence that the incidence of parties withdrawing from property deals prior to the conclusion of missives is widespread, nor are there grounds to believe that "gazumping" is a particular problem, even in areas where the housing market is particularly buoyant.

  The Housing Improvement Task Force considered the house buying and selling process in its final report, Stewardship and Responsibility: A Policy Framework for Private Housing in Scotland, published in March 2003. While the report contained a number of recommendations aimed at improving the operation of the housing market, it concluded that legislation to introduce a mandatory alternative to the customary buying and selling system would be out of proportion to the problems identified (including aspects such as blind bidding that can cause purchasers to overbid) and would reduce the flexibility for sellers to choose the method of selling their property, for example, by private negotiation, blind bidding or open auction.

Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many local access forums have been established to address concerns over access to land arising from the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003.

Allan Wilson: The main provisions of Part 1 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 are not yet in force. We expect to bring the legislation including the requirement to establish local access forums into effect later this year following the issue of guidance to local authorities and national park authorities on the discharge of their functions under part 1 of the act.

Livestock

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the concerns ascribed in the Press and Journal of 31 July 2004 to Mr Brian Pack, that qualifying calves must be at least 75% beef genetic, are correct in relation to the condition of the beef envelope scheme announced by the Minister for Environment and Rural Development on 29 July 2004; in particular, by what means producers would be able to prove that the animals met this criterion, who would carry out the checking of such claims, whether this would be done by an existing body or a new one and, if it is proposed that the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) carry out this checking or otherwise be involved in the administration of this new rule, whether the Executive considers that the BCMS has the resources to do so, and whether the Executive consulted the BCMS on this or any other role that the BCMS is to play in the national beef envelope regime and, if so, on what date the BCMS was first consulted about the Executive’s proposals and whether it will publish any correspondence of any kind between it and BCMS on this matter.

Ross Finnie: The requirement is that qualifying calves must be at least 75% beef bred. The target population is progeny from suckler cows crossed with pure bred beef bulls, which is the backbone of Scottish beef production. Most suckler producers will therefore know whether their calves qualify. The department will check information linked to the calf’s ear-tag, including its breed and its mother’s breed using information held on the cattle tracing system which is maintained by BCMS.

Livestock

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in relation to its proposals for a beef national envelope, the information currently contained on cattle passports is insufficient to determine whether the 75% rule for calves has, or has not, been met.

Ross Finnie: The target population is progeny from suckler cows crossed with pure bred beef bulls. Most suckler producers will therefore know whether their calves qualify. The movement card from the passport, which will accompany the claim, gives the ear-tag number of the calf which will allow the department to check the cattle tracing system maintained by BCMS to confirm the breed of the cow.

NHS Staff

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to increase the number of consultant neurologists and epilepsy nurse specialists.

Malcolm Chisholm: The future number of consultant neurologists nationally will be shaped both by the workforce planning infrastructure, as outlined within the Scottish Health Workforce Plan 2004 Baseline  document and the implications of Modernising Medical Careers and the recently published Securing Future Practice .

  The route to a consultant neurologist post is through specialist registrar training. At March 2004, the establishment was 21.2 Whole-Time Equivalent (WTE), a 50% increase from 14 WTE in March 2001. It is forecast that three trainees will achieve their Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training in 2004. The number of trainees in each specialty is reviewed by NHS Education for Scotland on an annual basis and adjusted accordingly, in light of service need.

  The number of epilepsy nurse specialists that are required in the future is a matter for individual NHS boards and relates to how epilepsy services are provided within the geographical area of their responsibility.

National Health Service

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many in-patient beds in independently-run facilities have been used for NHS patients requiring treatment for alcohol or drug abuse in the last year, broken down by NHS board.

Hugh Henry: The following table is based on 2004-05 returns to the Executive from drug and alcohol action teams.

  It is not possible to differentiate patient referrals from the NHS, since these beds will also be used by patients referred by local authorities, and by patients who pay their own costs. While we have included voluntary sector services within the definition of "independent", many of these services will receive funding from statutory organisations.

  

DAAT Area
Number of Beds


Aberdeenshire
11


Argyll and Clyde
44


Borders
122


Edinburgh City
32


Greater Glasgow
79


Highland
15


Shetland
2

National Health Service

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1O-6514 and S2W-9578 by Malcolm Chisholm on 27 February 2003 and 29 July 2004 respectively, whether it will outline details of the audit process that the NHS Scottish Consortium has in place to ensure that clinical waste handled on its behalf by STI group is managed according to all relevant environmental legislation.

Malcolm Chisholm: Responsibility for providing details of the audit process rests with the NHS Scottish Consortia. I can confirm, however, that each member of the consortium has a schedule of annual visits in place, the purpose of these visits being to ensure that transport or disposal contractors are disposing of all waste in a secure, safe and appropriate manner.

  It is important to recognise that licensed operators must operate in accordance with all applicable legislation and the enforcement of the terms of the licence and prosecution for failing to comply with legislation are matters for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. It is a condition of the current contract that the operator is so licensed.

Prescription Charges

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of collecting prescription charges has been in each of the last five years for which information is available.

Malcolm Chisholm: Prescription charges are collected at community pharmacies and dispensing medical practices when prescriptions are presented for dispensing. Information about collection costs is not held centrally.

Prescription Charges

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been collected through prescription charges in each of the last five years for which information is available.

Malcolm Chisholm: The total value of prescription charges collected in the years 1999-2000 to 2003-04 is set out in the following table.

  

Year
Total Value of Charges Collected*
(£ Million)


1999–2000
42.9


2000–01
43.1


2001–02
45.8


2002–03
46.3


2003–04
45.4



  Note: *Includes income from prescription pre-payment certificates.

Prescription Charges

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the total NHS drugs bill has been recovered through prescription charges in each of the last five years for which information is available, (a) disregarding and (b) after deduction of the cost of collection charges.

Malcolm Chisholm: The NHS prescription charge does not relate directly to the cost of the item prescribed or the cost of supplying it. It is a contribution towards the cost of the service as a whole.

  The following table details prescription charges collected in each of the last five years as a percentage of the Family Health Service drugs bill for each year. Details of collection costs in respect of individual charges paid when a prescription is presented for dispensing are not held centrally. Net percentages cannot therefore be given.

  

Year
Percentage of Drugs Bill Disregarding Cost of Collection of Charges
(%)


1999–2000
6.5


2000–01
6.2


2001–02
6.0


2002–03
5.4


2003–04
4.9

Public Transport

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-994 by Nicol Stephen on 21 July 2003, how many (a) enquiries have been received about and (b) cards have been issued for the Thistle Travel Card Scheme in each year since its launch and what guidelines have been provided for transport staff and companies on the scheme.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive does not retain figures relating to the ENABLE Thistle Travel Card Scheme.

  However, we have been informed by ENABLE that they receive approximately 20 to 30 enquiries per month from a range of potential transport users, transport centres and places like adult day centres, citizen advice bureaus and libraries. Some of these enquiries are requesting more Thistle Cards, others are to ask more about the scheme.

  We do not have a record of the number of enquiries which are directed to transport operators or others about the scheme.

  200,000 cards have been distributed to potential bus and train users since the launch in 2002. Staff guidelines and posters were distributed to transport operators throughout Scotland in September 2002.

  The guidelines are aimed at all transport staff informing them of the needs of card holders and what staff can do to assist.

  The Thistle Card Scheme is making a significant difference to the lives of many thousands of people throughout Scotland who are prevented from enjoying a full, active and independent life in their community.

Public Transport

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it provides to ENABLE to assist with the Thistle Travel Card Scheme.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has awarded ENABLE £21,557 for 2003-04 to assist them in producing further leaflets and promotional material for the Thistle Travel Card Scheme.

  In December 2002, the Executive awarded ENABLE £50,000 to fund the start of the Scheme.

Scottish Executive Expenditure

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on recruitment advertising in (a) Scottish-based newspapers and (b) London-based newspapers, in each year since 1999.

Mr Andy Kerr: The following table sets out the spend on recruitment advertising for Scottish based newspapers and those based outside Scotland, including London, for the period 1 January 2000 to 31 July 2004.

  

Year
Spending on Scottish Based Papers (£)
Spending on Non-Scottish Based Papers (£)


2000
370,958.96
146,411.15


2001
490,155.52
134,248.01


2002
448,852.11
131,682.84


2003
582,066.83
120,804.50


2004 (to 31 July)
303,797.24
138,162.65

Water Safety

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what role it has in ensuring that the European Union standards for drinking water quality are established and maintained.

Ross Finnie: Scottish ministers have appointed the Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotland to ensure that the drinking water quality duties imposed on Scottish Water by the European Drinking Water Directive and the Scottish Regulations are established and maintained.

Water Services

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the article in Scotland on Sunday on 1 August 2004 by Murdo Macleod in which a Scottish Water spokeswoman said that, in order to ensure that Scottish Water delivered the Scottish Executive’s requirements, Scottish Water had deliberately delayed the start of some of its projects to allow Scottish Water Solutions to take over the projects and to undertake a review, which specific projects were delayed and, in each case, what the intended and the delayed start date was, and whether it approved these delays.

Ross Finnie: The capital procurement practices of Scottish Water’s predecessor companies had been the subject of some criticism by the Water Industry Commissioner because they offered poor value for money. It is my understanding that the new board of Scottish Water withheld its approval for certain capital projects until it was satisfied that these criticisms could be properly addressed. While disappointed at any delays, I nevertheless regarded this as prudent action by the new board. The details of the projects involved are an operational matter for Scottish Water. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to you about this matter.

Water Services

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take steps to ensure that work is allocated more quickly to improve the water and sewerage infrastructure; whether it is satisfied that its efforts to achieve this end have been satisfactory and, if so, whether it considers that the efforts of Scottish Water in this regard have also been adequate; whether it will take any further steps to improve the infrastructure and, if so, what steps; whether it is concerned that, if there are more delays, this will lead to the possibility of higher costs for the work through pressure on capacity if a number of contracts are rolled out at the same time rather than spread over the lifetime of the agreed Scottish Solutions schedule of work, and whether it will make a statement about the position, given the concerns raised and expressed in Scotland on Sunday on 1 August 2004.

Ross Finnie: It is my understanding that, after initial delays, Scottish Water and its joint venture company, Scottish Water Solutions Ltd, are making satisfactory progress in the delivery of the capital programme. The details of allocations for work are, in the first instance an operational matter for Scottish Water and Scottish Water Solutions Ltd. I would not interfere in operational matters of this nature. I would, however, point out that delays in commissioning work of this nature can be caused by a number of factors beyond the control of Scottish Water. These factors were also discussed at my recent meeting with the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (Scotland) (CECA).

  I welcome the excellent working relationships between Scottish Water and CECA and I believe that such close co-operation is the best way to ensure the current investment programme will be delivered to time and budget.